Coal miner Lee Hipshire in 1976, shortly after emerging from a mine in Logan County, W.Va., at the end of his shift. A few years later, Lee took early retirement because of pneumoconiosis, or black lung disease. He died at 57.
Courtesy of Earl Dotter
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Howard Berkes

Mine helmets and painted crosses sit at the entrance to Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch coal mine on April 5, as a memorial to the 29 miners killed there one year earlier.
Jeff Gentner/AP
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Howard Berkes on 'Morning Edition'

Mine helmets and painted crosses sit at the entrance to Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch coal mine April 5 in Montcoal, W.Va. The memorial represents the 29 coal miners who were killed in an explosion at the mine a year ago.
Jeff Gentner/AP
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